28
May
2021
|
14:12 PM
America/Los_Angeles

There's a need for Extraordinary Women in Tech -- a new conference coming to San Francisco

It’s not enough to address an overall gender imbalance in tech and IT organizations if there is not much change in the gender of the leaders. That’s the focus of first-ever: Extraordinary Women in Tech global conference -- this December.

The gender gap in IT will take many years to balance out because the pipeline has to be built through early education but that doesn’t mean that women’s voices can’t be heard until there is parity in numbers, pay and expectations. 

The best way to teach others is by example and there will be plenty of inspirational stories told at the event and plenty of speakers showing that woemn can be successful at large tech companies despite their lack of numbers in the workforce. 

The conference certainly lives up to its title. Top female executives from Microsoft, Facebook, Oracle, Salesforce and American Express, will be joined by peers based in Berlin and Dubai. 

Ulyana Zilbermints, vice president, at conference organizer Avenue Code, said the event will “celebrate the movement of women leadership in technology.”

Zilbermints says she has successfully managed a life as a Silicon Valley executive, a business owner, while being a mother to twins -- now seven years old. She’s mentored many women based on her experiences and the challenges that came at different stages of her life. She says that now she is nearing forty she is able to approach leadership much more authentically. 

Fariba Rawhani, CIO ofTeranet, and one of the conference speakers, said. “It’s very important that we women support one another and send the message that it’s okay to be successful and ambitious; it’s okay to want to expand our horizons and do more. Always remember that women have a sisterhood.”

The conference grew out of a webinar series that interviewed female business leaders from the US, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the Middle East.

The event will have a Startup track where VCs and Angel investors will hear new business ideas. And a track where women can find mentors and advisors. 

The overall goal is to provide opportunities for women to create connections with their peers and with influential executives. It’s the best way to fast-track a career that’s been likely delayed by COVID-19 measures that have resulted in the absence of meetups and conferences -- for more than 20 months -- by the time this December conference arrives in San Francisco

There’s a lot of catching up to be done. 

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